Stitchless billfold with interlocked closure flaps



Jan. 6, 1948' w FENCE 2,434,121

STITCHLESS BILLFOLD WITH INTERLOCKED CLOSURE FLAPS Filed Nov. 24, 1944 Il 7. J|.

. INVENTOR MLL/HM H. pEA CE'.

ATTQQ VS.

Patented Jan. 6, 1948 STITCHLESS BILLFOLD WITH INTER-- LOCKED CLOSUREFLAPS William A. Pence, Adel], Wis, assignor to Enger- Kress Company,West Bend, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 24,1944, Serial No. 564,923

8 Claims.

1 f Elms invention relates to improvements in bill One of the primaryobjects of the invention is to provide a novel and improved bill fold inwhich the entire case or pocket (exclusive of the socalled slide) ismade in one piece and is composed of marginal flaps interlocked, in thepreferred construction, without stitching.

It is also an object of the invention to provide, if desired, a cornerreinforced by a cemented tab applied in a novel manner. Moreover, Whileno claim is made in the present application to the ornamental design, itis a feature of the present invention that it makes certain distinctiveornamental designs possible. 7

Other objects will be more apparent from the following disclosure of theinvention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing a completed bill fold embodyingthe invention, portions of the material being broken away to expose theinterior construction.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the inner wall andslide portions of the bill fold as they appear with the outer wallbroken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view on a reduced scale of the blank from which thebill fold of Fig. 1 is made, the blank being shown partially assembledand with the slide partially attached thereto.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail View in perspective, showing the assemblyoperation in the manufacture of the bill fold from the blank shown inFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view on a reduced scale, showing a modified embodiment ofthe invention.

Like parts are designated with the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

While it has been stated herein that the bill fold is, save for theslide, a one piece bill fold, it will of course be understood that I donot intend to preclude making it of separate pieces sewed or cementedtogether where, for example, contrasting color or grain effects may bedesired. The completed bill fold shown in Fig. 1 is functionallyconventional in so far as it comprises a foldable pocket closed at itsends and bottom and open along its top margin. It comprises an outerpanel 6 and its inner wall is made in two sections connected by aslide 1. The manner in which these sections are formed will now bedescribed.

Integral with each end of the outer wall or panel 6 is a flap 8 which,in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is provided with a strapat 9 formed from the material of the panel itself by slitting the panelat l0 and II. The ends of the flaps 8 may be finished in any desireddesign or pattern. As shown, they are convexly rounded and the length ofthe respective flaps is such that they are spaced at the inner face ofthe bill fold at opposite sides of the line upon which folding occurs(see Fig. 1).

The small fiap l2, integral with the bottom edge of the central portionof panel 6, is folded upwardly and cemented to that panel to finish thepanel where its flesh side would otherwise be exposed beneath theslide 1. This is conventional. At either side of the central flap I2 Iprovide, in accordance with this invention, flaps l5 which are roughlyhourglass shaped having central areas it, constricted to fit beneath thestraps 9, the portions of flaps H3 at either side of the constrictedwaist portions [6 being too wide to pass beneath straps 9 unlessgathered or folded as shown in Fig. 4.

Connected with the tops of the respective flaps l5 upon a fold line I!(which may be scored or otherwise demarcated if desired), are flapextensions l8 carrying corner tabs l9 and straps 20 defined by.slits inthe material. The straps 2B are adapted to receive headed straps 2|which may be cut integrally from the material in the slide 1, the headsof the respective straps 2| being manipulated beneath straps 20 toloosely anchor the slide to extend between the inner flaps IS in theassembled bill fold.

In the alternative form shown in Fig. 5, the mechanical construction isidentical with the one already described, except that the straps 90,instead of being formed integrally with the flaps 80, may compriseseparate loops sewed or adhesively connected to the flaps 8!) to receivethe narrow Waist portions I69 of the flaps I50. The straps are alsoillustrated as having been made narrower, but this is a matter ofdesign.

In assembly, the end flaps 8 are first folded over On the outer panel 6.Thereupon, the material comprising each fiap extension l8 and theadjacent portions of flap l5 are squeezed or gathered together andmanipulated through the respective strap 9 or 80 in the manner suggestedin Fig. 4. The length of the strap, in either case, will correspond tothe width of the waist portion it or I of the flap [5 or I50 so thatwhen the flap l5 or lfit has been pulled through the strap to its limitof movement, it may be flattened out as shown. Likewise, the point atwhich the flap I5 widens out will depend on the width of the strapthrough which it extends. In the preferred arrangement, the length ofthe waist portion and the width of the strap correspond and the same istrue of the width of the Waist portion and the length of the strap.

The slide 1 is now placed beneath the flaps I8 and the headed straps 2!are passed through the anchor straps 26 of flaps [8. The flaps I8 and.the attached slide are thereupon folded into: the

pocket provided between the outer wall 6, slide folded end flap, thebottom flap being folded onto the end flap and extending beneaththeistrap thereof said bottom fiap'being provided with an intermediateportion fitted'within the strap and a top portion wider than the strapis long and sub-- stantially equal in width to the whole length of theend flap, and means for fastening said top portion about the top marginof the end flap.

2. The bill fold set forth in claim 1 in which the bottom flap has anextension integral with its upper margin and folded between said endflap and said outer wall, together with a slide confined between thefolded end flap and the folded extension of the bottom flap, said slidebeing loosely connected with the latter whereby to anchor said bottomflap portions;

3. Ina bill fold, an outer wallpanel provided with afinishing flap atits upper margin and end and bottom marginalfiaps superposed on eachother and comprising an inner wallsection, anextension on said bottommarginal flap folded downwardly behind said end marginal flap, and a tabon said extensionconnec'ted at the end of the bill fold with said outerwall panel, the finishing flap at the upper margin of the panelbeing-folded over said tab and provided with a cemented connection ininterlocking relation thereto.

4. The bill fold set forth inclaim 3, in which one of said superposedflaps is provided with a strap within which a portion of said othersuperposedfiap extends.

5. Abill fold comprising an outer wall having top, end and'bottommargins, end flaps connected with the respective end margins, bottomflaps connected with the bottom margin adjacent the respective ends,said end' and bottom flaps being superposed on said outer wall tocomprise inner wall sections of the bill fold, straps carried by therespective end fiaps beneath which portions of the respective bottomflaps extend, extensions on the bottom marginal'flaps extending betweenthe outer wall and the respective inner wall sections,

a slide having a slidable connection with the respective extensions,said slide being disposed between the extensions and the superposedflaps comprising the respective inner wall sections, and tabs at theends of the respective extensions, said tabs extending across the endsof the bill fold an'd'being provided with means whereby they are securedto the inner face of the outer wall.

6. The device of claim 5, in which the outer wall has at its top margina finishing flap folded within the outer wall over the portions of saidtabs so secured, and adhesively connected with the outer wall and saidtab portions whereby to provide interlocking means for additionallysecuring said tab portions,

7. In a billfold, the combination with an outer panel having an end flapat one of its ends and a bottom flap at its bottom margin contiguoustosaid end, the end fiap being folded over said panel and provided witha strap extending longitudinally of the panel, the bottom flap beingfolded upon the end flap and having a waist portion of restricted widthpassing beneath said strap; and a top portion of greater width than thewaist portion and extending substantially to the end of the: panel atwhich said end flap is disposed, an extension from said top portionfolded downwardly between the end flap and the panel, a second panelhaving one of its ends extending between the end flap and the downwardlyfolded extension aforesaid and provided with means connecting it Withsaid extension for the mutual positioning of said second panel andextension, and means for positioning said second panel and connectedtherewith at a point remote from its connection with the extensionaforesaid, said second panel and end and bottom flaps together providinga pocket opening away from the end of the panel first mentioned.

8. The billfold-set forth in claim '7' in which the downwardly foldedextension from the top portion of the lower marginal flap is providedwith a corner tab connected with the panel first mentioned at a pointadj acentthe said end flap thereof, said first mentioned panel having afinishing flap folded inwardly between said first panel and saidextension and secured to an inner face of said first panel over saidtab.

WILLIAM A. FENCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,909,809 Buxton May 16, 19331,964,461 Gardner June 26, 1934 2,011,846 Buxton Aug. 20, 19352,1-8'61650' Mueller Jan. 9, 1940 2,291,259- Sherwood July 28, 19422,347,338 Sherwood Apr. 25, 1944

